The present invention relates to a bxc3xa9chamel-type sauce having improved properties such as freeze-thaw resistance.
It is a well known tradition to produce bxc3xa9chamel-type sauces. Larousse Gastronomique, published by Larousse in 1996, describes the preparation of a bxc3xa9chamel-type sauce in which butter is melted over a low heat and then flour is added while stirring vigorously in order to obtain a smooth colorless mixture. Milk is then poured into the mixture while whipping so as to avoid forming lumps. The bxc3xa9chamel sauce thus formed is seasoned with salt and pepper and then passed through a conical tammy strainer so that it has a really smooth texture.
In addition, Patent JP 61,173,758 describes the preparation of a roux in which the fat and a fatty acid sucroester are mixed with starch, so as to lower the gel temperature of the starch when making the roux.
Such sauces often have a texture which is rough on the palate and, during storage, undergoes significant change in their physical structure and in their organoleptic properties. These changes may be irreversible.
The object of the present invention is to remedy the deficiencies of the prior art by providing a bxc3xa9chamel sauce which exhibits greater shear and freeze-thaw stability, has a shiny appearance and a homogeneous, smooth and creamy texture.
The present invention relates to a classical bxc3xa9chamel sauce having less than a 10% variation in viscosity, measured at 10 sxe2x88x921, either for two separate shear treatments or before and after at least one freeze-thaw cycle. The viscosity may be measured at two different rotation speeds that vary by at least about 80 revolutions per minute and the viscosity variation may be maintained for measurements made both before and after freeze-thaw cycles. The viscosity may be determined for shear treatments at a rotation speed of 150 revolutions per minute and 300 revolutions per minute. The viscosity may be determined after a freeze-thaw cycle wherein the bxc3xa9chamel sauce is frozen at xe2x88x9230xc2x0 C. for at least 3 hours and thawed at 20-30xc2x0 C. for 2-8 hours.
The classical bxc3xa9chamel sauce of the invention has a water content of about 68 to 95% by weight and includes about 0.3 to 1.6% by weight of salt; about 1.6 to 10% by weight of fat; about 0.1 to 10% by weight of milk; about 0.2 to 6% by weight of modified starch; about 2.7 to 10% by weight of flour; and about 0.3 to 2%, by weight of the flour, of an emulsifier. The fat may be sunflower oil, soybean oil, olive oil, groundnut oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, butter, margarine, or a mixture thereof.
The modified starch may be modified potato starch, corn starch, wheat starch, tapioca starch, or a mixture thereof. The flour may be soft wheat flour, hard wheat flour, rice flour, corn flour, or a mixture thereof. The emulsifier may be lecithin, a stearoyl lactylate, a monoglyceride, a diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides, or a mixture thereof. The classical bxc3xa9chamel sauce may further include a coloring, a cheese, a herb, a spice, or mixtures thereof. The classical bechamel sauce has a smooth, creamy texture and a shiny appearance.
The invention is also directed to a ready cooked meal comprising the classical bxc3xa9chamel sauce of the invention. The meal may be a lasagne dish, a meat dish, or a fish dish.
The invention is also directed to a method of making a bxc3xa9chamel sauce. The method includes the steps of mixing water, salt, fat, milk, modified starch, flour, and an emulsifier to provide a mixture; heating the mixture to provide a sauce; and cooling the sauce to provide a bxc3xa9chamel sauce having less than a 10% variation in viscosity, measured at 10 sxe2x88x921, either for two separate shear treatments or before and after at least one freeze-thaw cycle. The mixture may be heated from about 90xc2x0 to 100xc2x0 C. for about 3 to 10 minutes. In one embodiment the mixture is heated in a scraped-surface heat exchanger for about 3 to 4 minutes. The sauce may be cooled in a scraped-surface heat exchanger having an internal diameter of about 120 to 180 mm and scraper blades rotating at a speed of about 100 to 300 rpm. The sauce has a water content of about 68 to 95% by weight; and includes about 0.3 to 1.6% by weight of salt; about 1.6 to 10% by weight of fat; about 0.1 to 10% by weight of milk; about 0.2 to 6% by weight of modified starch; about 2.7 to 10% by weight of flour; and about 0.3 to 2%, by weight of the flour, of an emulsifier.
The invention is directed to a bxc3xa9chamel sauce that exhibits less than a 10% variation in viscosity, measured at 10 sxe2x88x921, either for two separate shear treatments at different rotational speeds or before and after one or more freeze-thaw cycles. Preferably, this small variation is maintained both before and after the freeze-thaw cycles(s).
In the present description, the expression xe2x80x9cbxc3xa9chamel saucexe2x80x9d is used to denote, in particular, both white sauces and other sauces based on flour, oil or fat, and water, with or without the addition of powdered milk. Preferably the bxc3xa9chamel sauce is a xe2x80x9cclassical bxc3xa9chamel sauce.xe2x80x9d The expression xe2x80x9cclassical bxc3xa9chamel saucexe2x80x9d, as used herein means a bxc3xa9chamel sauce prepared by melting butter over low heat, then adding flour while stirring vigorously to provide a smooth substantially colorless mixture, and then adding milk to the mixture while whipping to avoid forming lumps. The resulting classical bxc3xa9chamel sauce may optionally be seasoned, for example, with salt and pepper and may optionally be passed through a strainer, such as, for example, a conical tammy strainer to provide a sauce with an even smoother texture. Larousse Gastronomique, published by Larousse in 1996 describes the preparation of a classical bxc3xa9chamel sauce.
The bxc3xa9chamel sauce of the invention may have, for example, a water content of about 68 to 95% by weight and comprise about 0.3 to 1.6% by weight of salt, about 1.6 to 10% by weight of fat, about 0.1 to 10% by weight of milk, about 0.2 to 6% by weight of modified starch, and about 2.7 to 10% by weight of flour.
Preferably, the bxc3xa9chamel sauce according to the present invention comprises an emulsifier in an amount of about 0.3 to 2 percent by weight based on the amount of flour. Representative emulsifiers include, but are not limited to, lecithin, a stearoyl lactylate, a monoglyceride or a diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM), for example. The bxc3xa9chamel sauce according to the present invention exhibit less than a 10% variation in viscosity measured at 10 sxe2x88x921, for two separate shear treatments and/or after one or more freeze-thaw cycles. In other words the bxc3xa9chamel sauce exhibits shear and/or freeze-thaw stability.
The bxc3xa9chamel sauce can be prepared by mixing all the ingredients in a conventional mixer found in the food industry, heating and cooking at a temperature of about 90-100xc2x0 C. for about 3-10 minutes, and cooling to room temperature.
The heating and cooking may be carried out in a double-walled vessel with a stirrer for about 5-10 minutes, or preferably, as a result of the shear stability of the sauce, in a scraped-surface heat exchanger for about 3-4 minutes, for example.
The cooling may be carried out by leaving the sauce to stand at room temperature and pressure, or under vacuum, or preferably, as a result of the shear stability of the sauce, in a scraped-surface heat exchanger, for example.
During cooling, the sauce is typically subjected to the shear caused by the about 100-330 rpm rotation of the two rotor blades or scraper blades in the scraped-surface heat exchanger which has an internal diameter of about 120 to 180 mm.
The viscosity of the bxc3xa9chamel-type sauce according to the present invention can be measured in a Rheometrics Fluids Spectrometer RFS II viscometer sold by Rheometrics Scientific, Espace Descartes, 7, rue Albert Einstein, F-77420 CHAMP SUR MARNE.
Surprisingly, it has been found that the bxc3xa9chamel sauce according to the invention exhibits greater stability on cooling after cooking in that the viscosity varies by less than 10% for measurements made at two rotation speeds that differ by at least about 80 evolutions per minute. Viscosity measurements are preferably taken at rotation speeds of the scraper blades of 150 and 300 revolutions per minute in an exchanger having an internal diameter of 150 mm. In addition, the sauce possesses better storage stability, in particular after one or more freeze-thaw cycles comprising a freezing step at about xe2x88x9230xc2x0 C. for at least 3 hours and a thawing step at about 20-30xc2x0 C. for 2-8 hours, for example.
The bxc3xa9chamel sauce according to the present invention may therefore have a water content of about 68-95% by weight and comprise, in percent by weight of sauce, about 0.3 to 1.6% by weight of salt, about 1.6 to 10% by weight of fat, about 0.1 to 10% by weight of milk, about 0.2 to 6% by weight of modified starch, about 2.7 to 10% by weight of flour as well as, in percent by weight of the flour, about 0.3 to 2% of an emulsifier such as lecithin, a stearoyl lactylate, a monoglyceride or a diacetyl tartaric acid ester of monoglycerides (DATEM).
The emulsifiers, because of their interactions with the other ingredients contained in the bxc3xa9chamel sauce, especially with the flour, allow for a sauce having a good texture to be made.
The fat, which has an effect on the texture of the bxc3xa9chamel sauce and on its taste, may be sunflower oil, soybean oil, olive oil, groundnut oil, palm oil, rapeseed oil, butter or margarine, for example.
The milk may be powdered, whole or skimmed milk, for example.
The modified starch may be modified potato, corn, wheat or tapioca starch, for example. Modified starch may be incorporated into the bxc3xa9chamel sauce preparation to improve the sauces stability during its preparation and during its storage at chilled temperatures or at freezing temperatures.
The flour, which has a binding effect, may be soft wheat, hard wheat, rice or corn flour, for example.
It is also possible to incorporate into the bxc3xa9chamel sauce of the present invention colorings, cheese, herbs, and/or spices, for example.
The bxc3xa9chamel sauce according to the present invention has a shiny appearance and a smooth and creamy texture.
This bxc3xa9chamel sauce exhibits greater shear and freeze-thaw stability. It also exhibits good storage stability as a result of low water loss.
Advantageously, this bxc3xa9chamel sauce can be used for the manufacture of frozen or chilled ready-cooked meals, especially lasagne dishes, meat dishes, and fish dishes.